The first thing viewers of “Beyond the Gates” see is a black Mercedes gliding past manicured lawns and stately estates.

In 1968, Ellen Holly became the first Black lead on a soap ("One Life to Live") while the true breakthrough roles had to wait until the '80s with Darnell Williams and Debbi Morgan on "All My Children," then the '90s, with Kristoff St. John on "The Young and the Restless."

With a powerhouse cast and an all-star creative team, this is more than just another soap opera—it’s a long-overdue cultural moment.

The last time a broadcast network debuted a new daytime drama, a good portion of America believed the President was a criminal, high-profile plane crashes were in the news, and Jay-Z was embroiled in a legal battle.

"I've been a lover of soap operas since I was 10 years old, and I've always felt that there was a huge void in soap operas, which is just beyond apparent," Ducksworth says.Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

Enter “Beyond the Gates”: the first one-hour daytime drama centering a Black family in decades and the first daytime soap to premiere since 1999’s “Passions.” CBS Studios picked up the show last April under its production partnership with the NAACP.

Soap operas, or melodramas with massive ensemble casts, have been a staple in popular culture for nearly a century. Though long-running soaps like “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “General Hospital” have dominated day-time television for decades,

Set to premiere on CBS on Feb. 24, “Beyond the Gates” will air weekdays following “The Young & the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful.”